Five people have been killed and 16 injured in a Houthi missile attack targeting the presidential palace in the port city of Aden in southern Yemen, officials have confirmed. The strike on al-Maashiq Palace, which serves as the seat of the internationally-recognised government, took place amidst escalating conflict in the region.
Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani told the BBC that five ballistic missiles hit the palace, but affirmed that the prime minister and other ministers present at the time were unharmed. Verified video footage circulating online showed plumes of smoke rising above the presidential palace following the explosions.
The Houthis' military spokesman, Yahya Sarea, claimed responsibility for the assault, stating that their forces had struck "the Saudi enemy's military operations headquarters in Aden". The attack specifically targeted government personnel, according to Yemeni health minister Qasim Buhaibeh, who reported that the casualties included "those working to guard the site and civilian employees."
Prime Minister Shaya Zindani swiftly condemned the Houthi attack on Aden, characterising it as "cowardly" and a "continuation of their criminal behaviour". He asserted that the government remained steadfast in its duties and vowed that the incident would not weaken the resolve of its forces to continue operations against the Houthis on Yemen's south-western Red Sea coast and other front lines.
The strike in Aden is the latest in a series of escalations in Yemen's protracted civil war, which began in 2014 when the Houthis ousted the internationally-recognised government from the capital, Sanaa. The conflict intensified significantly in 2015 when a coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened with air support to attempt to restore the government's rule. The Saudi-led coalition actively backs the government and is currently providing air support for an offensive by pro-government forces against the Iran-backed Houthis.
The Houthis have consistently launched missiles and drones at critical infrastructure and military installations in Saudi Arabia, including airports, oil and gas facilities, and military bases. These attacks are framed by the Houthi leadership as retaliation for Saudi-led coalition strikes on territory they control in western Yemen, including Sanaa.
Just last Saturday, a Houthi missile strike on Riyadh's international airport resulted in the deaths of 13 people, marking the deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia in over a decade. Earlier, the Houthis had denied responsibility for an attack on Thursday after the coalition announced its forces had intercepted a cruise missile in Saudi Arabia's Medina region, home to one of Islam's holiest shrines.
Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of encouraging the Houthis to intensify their conflict with the kingdom. "Iran continues to arm, train and support the Houthi militia in violation of UN Security Council resolutions," Saudi Arabia's deputy foreign minister, Rayed Krimly, told reporters, as reported by AFP news agency. He further added, "We think that the escalation by the Houthis at this latest stage of the conflict is encouraged by Iran."
There has been no immediate official response from Iran's government regarding these specific accusations. However, Iran has previously denied supplying weapons to the Houthis, maintaining that its support is purely political. Iran's foreign minister has also expressed readiness to provide "any assistance necessary to facilitate the start of talks" between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis.
A four-year informal ceasefire in the region began to unravel in July, following the Houthis' announcement of a "maritime embargo" against Saudi Arabia and a subsequent increase in missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports, oil facilities, and tankers in the Red Sea. The Houthis stated these actions were in retaliation for what they describe as a Saudi blockade of their territory and an air strike on Sanaa airport, which they attributed to the kingdom.
The conflict further escalated in September when the Houthis seized a strategic portion of Yemen's south-western Red Sea coast near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical chokepoint for global shipping. This advance contributed to a rise in international oil prices, occurring after six months of broader tensions involving the US, Israel, and Iran.
In response to these developments, pro-government forces launched a major counter-offensive last week, backed by Saudi air strikes. They reported regaining control of territory overlooking Bab al-Mandab, an area of immense strategic importance for international trade routes.
The human cost of the conflict remains severe. According to the government's health ministry, at least 1,282 people have been killed and 5,890 injured in the fighting across Yemen since 6 August. The United Nations reports that an additional 201,000 people have been displaced by the ongoing violence, and there has been an alarming surge in suspected cholera cases, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.
